DE 297 14 284 U1 has made known a hand-actuated setting device for the operator's control station of a fork-lift reach truck in which three operating levers which are supported about an approximately horizontal axis and are arranged side by side in the direction of travel of the fork-lift truck are seated on a common shaft. Each operating lever has a lever head which can be gripped and actuated from above. The lower ends of the lever portions actuate hydraulic valves in such a way that the inner operating lever, which is disposed nearest to the driver, causes the load-carrying means to be raised and lowered whereas the middle one and the outer, farthest one cause the load-carrying means to move. The heads of the operating levers, as viewed from above, are located on a bent line such that if gripping changes over to another head an elbow supported on a rest will substantially maintain its position.
WO/00/64801 has made known an operating device for an industrial truck with a control element which can be grasped from above, using several fingers of a hand in order to move the element forwards or backwards in the direction of the fingers. The width of the control element is smaller than the width of the hand so that the little finger and, if needed, the ring finger or even more fingers of the hand can be supported on an area which is located next to the control element. The support area of the control element serves for actuating individual functions of the vehicle.
In the case mentioned last, there is a multi-function lever which is capable of realizing a multiplicity of functions. However, the operator can support his hand only insufficiently. Supporting is possible if there are single-function levers, but several functions cannot be carried out simultaneously. In both of the known instances, it is impossible for the operator to support himself, on one hand, while actuating a function, on the other.
It is the object of the invention to provide hand-actuated operating device for an operator's control unit of an industrial truck on which the operator can support himself and hold tight, on one hand, and is able to actuate various functions of the industrial truck, on the other, by using one or more fingers of the supporting hand.